Changes

Quotation marks are sometimes used on words or short phrases (but not typically sentences or longer passages) to denote the questionability of the word or phrase due the assumptions upon which it is used, the questionability its literal meaning, or to denote [[irony]]. When used in this manner, the marks are often referred to as "scare quotes". While wide-spread, this usage is considered controversial, as often the marked text isn't a direct quotation. One theory behind this usage is that the word or phrase being thus marked is one that would be used by a hypothetical person taking the position the writer is criticizing, even if no actual person has used that word or phrase.

Quotation marks are sometimes used on words or short phrases (but not typically sentences or longer passages) to denote the questionability of the word or phrase due the assumptions upon which it is used, the questionability its literal meaning, or to denote [[irony]]. When used in this manner, the marks are often referred to as "scare quotes". While wide-spread, this usage is considered controversial, as often the marked text isn't a direct quotation. One theory behind this usage is that the word or phrase being thus marked is one that would be used by a hypothetical person taking the position the writer is criticizing, even if no actual person has used that word or phrase.